There are many things that are associated with Georgia – southern music, BBQ, and sports fanaticism amongst other things. However, gambling enthusiasts will also explain that the state has a very co0nservative approach to the industry as a whole. With all the talk about regulating some of the online gambling that has been happening illegally in the United States for years, there is renewed hope that Georgia will come off the sidelines and get involved as well. This is why we put together this site – we are also very hopeful for Georgia residents, and we want you all to have the most knowledge when online gambling is legal in your state.
Online Sports Betting
Of all the ways to gamble online, sports betting has certainly gotten the most press in the last couple of years. This is because in May 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States decided that the law-making sports betting illegal outside of Nevada (PASPA) was unconstitutional, and had it repealed. This instantly allowed states to decide on their own if they wanted to pass legislation to allow betting, and many jumped at the chance.
At this time, Georgia is not one of the states that has legalized sports betting. The state has such a conservative approach to gambling as a whole that it isn’t likely to pass anything in 2020, but given the popularity of local college and professional sports teams, Georgia residents may demand faster action. To give you an idea of how exciting the world of sports betting is, we have compiled articles on the most popular types of sports bets, as well as the most up to date news on Georgia and its neighboring states.
Online Casino Games
Casino gambling in Georgia is nothing but a mirage. There are no land-based casinos in the state, and any attempts to introduce legislation to accommodate their construction has been shot down in the past. With that in mind, it isn’t shocking to hear that real money legal online casinos are also not available in the state. Players in Georgia who love to hit the slot machines or table games have to resort to traveling to get a piece of the action.
Online, there have been some social casinos that have launched via Facebook and other means in the last decade. These sites, while not offering cash prizes, do allow players to play for that winning feeling, and with no other means to play online legally, they can be a great place for players to learn more about the games they might want to try at a land-based casino outside the state. Our online casino section has reviews of the major social casinos, as well as how-to guides for all the top casino games.
Online Poker
Despite an entire decade where residents of Georgia could play in online poker tournaments against millions of players from around the country and the world after the federal government shut down the majority of the offshore-based sites in 2011, it has been near impossible to play real money poker online. Just like casino games, however, there has been an introduction of subscription and social games available in the United States. Sites like Global Poker still allow players to play for digital currency and then convert that currency into prizes and money. Check out our review of Global Poker as well as a guide to learning all the different variants of poker – who knows, with the return of regulated online poker to several states, many Georgia will look at this in more detail in the future.
Online Horse Racing Betting in Georgia
Falling in line with all the other types of online gambling listed above, betting on horse races is also prohibited in Georgia. Now, this may come as a bit of a surprise, as many states allow for outside firms like Twinspires to offer betting options to potential gamblers. Georgia law expressly list online horse racing betting as an activity not allowed, so those sites are not open to residents. There are no horse tracks in Georgia, which is another reason why betting is so scarce. There have been attempts to introduce horse racing to the state that have not made it out of the voting process. If that were to pass one day, then this could be the first step to finally introducing the concept of online horse racing betting to enthusiasts in the state.
Online Lottery
After everything you have read so far on this page, we would not be shocked if you had clicked elsewhere. If you are still here, then you will indeed be shocked to hear that online lottery sales ARE legal in the state of Georgia. For how conservative the government is regarding online betting of other forms, it appears that the lottery is where it welcomes online play with open arms.
Through the Georgia Lottery’s app, residents can become members of the Lottery Club, where they can buy tickets to all the main in-state and national lottery games like Powerball and Mega Millions. Players can purchase one draw at a time or they can subscribe to draws for a period of time, so they don’t have to remember to log on and buy tickets before each drawing.
Georgia Online Gambling FAQ
Why is online gambling so frowned upon in Georgia?
The aggressively conservative stance on online gambling in Georgia comes from a deep-rooted desire to protect its residents from addictive behavior. However, we think there are some holes in this theory, namely that the state seems to have no issue with someone buying thousands of dollars of lottery tickets.
When will sports betting be legal in Georgia?
We don’t have a crystal ball to see into the future, so we would only be guessing if we answered this question with an actual date. However, the discussion about sports betting in Georgia will intensify as states close by start to pass laws and introduce the activity to its residents. In 2020 it is expected that several states in the south will pass legislation, and at that point, we can safely say the pressure will be on the Georgia government to do something about it.
Can Georgia residents play at offshore casinos?
Since the introduction of online gambling sites in the mid-1990s, there have been many sites available to United States residents that are based offshore in countries like Antigua and Panama. These sites, which operate outside of American laws, still exist and still take action from residents of Georgia. However, they are increasingly difficult when it comes to Terms and Conditions, and quick online searches will reveal the troubles that players have had trying to get their winnings from these rogue operators. While you technically can go onto these sites today and make bets, we do not recommend that at all. There are lots of other ways you can access your favorite games without having to add the risk of sending your money to another country.
I was traveling in New Jersey and was able to access sports betting sites there. How does that work?
The legislation and regulations surrounding online betting in each state typically includes language that refers to something called “ringfencing.” This means that as long as you are physically within a state’s borders and they offer legal online gambling, you can register for an account and fund it regardless of where you live. However, you will lose access to your account the minute you leave the confines of the border – operators are forced to use geolocation software that disables accounts outside the approved range. This means that if you are traveling, you can make your bets and enjoy the offerings, but remember to make your withdrawals before you leave the state otherwise, you may not be able to do so until you revisit the state in which you were playing.
Are social poker sites and casinos playing by the same rules as real money sites?
All legitimate online gambling sites use software that has been independently tested and certified to be playing by the same sets of rules as real money games. Each of these social sites may have different ways of marketing their games, but at their core, the slot machine you are playing with a casino for tokens on Facebook should be playing with the same math that one in Las Vegas would have on its floor. Check out the Terms and Conditions of any social site you are thinking of playing before you spend any money to make sure that the software has indeed been certified for integrity purposes.